Republic Saga - Alliances, Chapter One
by Noggins
Summary: The Republic Saga continues. A year has passed since peace with the Mandalore began but the time has come for the attack on Coruscant...


Title: Republic Saga - Alliances, Chapter One  
  
Author: Jonathan Evans  
  
Author email: noggins@ic24.net  
  
Summary: The Republic Saga continues. A year has passed since peace with the Mandalore began but the time has come for the attack on Coruscant...  
  
REPUBLIC SAGA  
ALLIANCES  
CHAPTER ONE  
  
The time had flown by so fast but now, a year after the battle  
with the Empire at Yarori, the Republic was close to finishing  
the talks with the Mandalore. Soon they would be full members  
with all the privileges members worlds have.  
  
Mon Mothma's office was filled once more with military officers.  
She addressed them just as she had before the Battle of Endor -   
this could mean the end of the galaxy as they knew it whether they  
succeeded in their missions or not.  
"Coruscant is, as it has always been, our primary target," she began.  
"We have liberated dozens of planets since Ambassador Keylar  
convinced his people to join us but now the time has come for  
the big push." She turned to the Mon Calamari to her side. "Admiral  
Ackbar..."  
  
Ackbar stood forward and spoke. "We have sent a spy to infiltrate  
the planet under the guise of an Imperial officer. There he discovered  
the locations of the primary planet defences."  
"Surely they're located at every possible position possible on that  
heap of metal. There's no way we can take out every single one,"  
Wedge Antilles blurted out. Ackbar strode over to him and pointed  
his baton at the veteran Rogue pilot. "Recent cutbacks after the loss  
as Endor and Yarori have meant that they need to reserve power and  
so only one generator, two at the most, needs to be taken down in  
order to create a large enough gap in the shielding thus making a  
serious attack possible."  
  
The doors slid open and Leia arrived, the first Jedi on the scene.  
She sat next to Lando and they both shared a worried glance. Ackbar  
smirked at her. "So glad of you to turn up, Jedi Skywalker." He  
had changed so much since the arrival of the Jedi, his power was  
demeaned and now, after so long, he was in command again - something  
he wasn't going to let the Jedi forget.  
"I was at a meeting with the Jedi Council, Admiral. To discuss our  
involvement in the battle."  
"Of course. That is the most important part of all." He turned to the  
rest of the group. "Meeting adjurned. You may leave now. Except you  
General Calrissian."  
  
Everyone departed except for Leia and Lando. Mon Mothma directed  
them to come to her. "As you know, we have recently discovered  
that the Empire is back under the control of an Emperor since the  
death of Palpatine. The Interim Council voted the alien  
Mitth'raw'nuruodo in as the leader."  
Leia nodded. It was she who had reported of Thrawn's existence after  
encountering him with Mara Jade on the Mandalorian shuttle a year  
before. Mothma continued. "He has the Imperial alligned planets  
under control and unless he is taken out we will not be able to  
maintain control of the galaxy once we have Coruscant in our  
possession."  
"Surely you're not suggesting assassinating Thrawn?" Lando blurted  
out. "How could we even get close enough to him?"  
"That's exactly what I'm planning, General. And I plan to get close  
enough to him by sending Jedi to do the job."  
Leia was disgusted. "The Jedi are not assassins who work at the  
whim of the Republic. We are the keepers of peace and justice not  
mindless killers!"  
"How do you expect there to be peace without the death of the new  
Emperor?"  
"I understand that, but you are using our abilities in a way I do  
not agree with, that is against the Jedi Code."  
"You were chosen for this mission because of your success at  
Yarori. We know you are capable of coping in this kind of  
situation. I don't want you to let us down."  
"But I can't..."  
  
Leia stopped as the doors swished open to allow Anakin and Keylar  
to enter. The young Jedi shot a glance at her father who shrugged.  
"The Council decided it would be for the best. We're going to  
Coruscant!"  
"They can't be serious!"  
"They are."  
Keylar moved towards Lando. "General Calrissian, I will be joining  
you and your brother on the attack on the shields."  
"Really?" Lando asked. His face was full of concern. "Does that mean  
Leia and Anakin have to attack Thrawn alone?"  
Mon Mothma nodded. "Anyone without Force abilities could threaten  
the security assassination attempt."  
  
Lando shook his head angrily and left the room. Leia watched him  
go and quickly followed out into the corridor. "Lando, it'll be  
alright. I'm not exactly keen on this either but we have to do  
as we're ordered."  
"Do we?" Calrissian asked. "What if the orders are ridiculous?"  
"Then we prove that we can do this better than they think we can."  
"I guess you have a point there, Leia," he replied with a smile.  
  
*********  
  
The lower regions of Coruscant were homes to the most unwholesome  
beings the galaxy ever had the misfortune to have within it.  
Everything from almost extinct races, wiped out to the Empire and  
biding their time until its fall.  
  
Mara Jade walked passed the body of a dead Ithorian. She douted  
it was caused by anything other than its own poverty. This was  
pure hell. She had spent the last year wandering through the hole  
and hovels befriending those who forced themselves on her but  
ensuring she didn't get too close.  
  
She entered a small building that on any other world would have  
been considered a cantina. The bar man, a down on his luck Duros,  
smiled as she entered. "Ah, my dear!" He exclaimed. "It is has  
been too long!"  
"That it has Grayt," she replied. "Any news recently?"  
"I'm sure you noticed poor Saddon outside. They say he overdosed  
on Gree Spice. No one seems to care about moving his body."  
"I guess they're just too used to death," Mara sighed. "It's not  
like I haven't seen enough of it in my time."  
  
She ordered a drink and sat alone at a nearby table. She was unable  
to take even a sip before another of the creatures she had latched  
onto her took the place next to her. "Hello friend," the old,  
even ancient human grinned. "Have you heard that the Republic is  
planning to attack this planet?"  
This piqued Mara's interest. She looked up. "Where did you find this  
out?"  
"My special trick. You'd never understand it."  
"Try me."  
The old man moved his cloak aside to reveal an old, dirty lightsaber.  
"You're a Jedi?" Mara said almost too loudly. She lowered her  
voice slightly. "How can that be?" She hadn't sensed any Force  
abilities from him.  
"I was trained many years ago," he replied. "I was once powerful."  
  
A Givvin walked passed and bumped the old man's chair. He turned  
angrily around. "How dare you do that to me?"  
The alien looked confused. "I'm sorry. It was just an accident. I  
didn't hurt you did I?"  
The man took the lightsaber from his belt. He made a whirring noise  
and swished the handle around his head. "I am a Jedi. You cannot hurt  
me!"  
  
Mad as a Tatooine moisture farmer with heatstroke, Mara thought. She  
should have realised that earlier. She quickly left before she  
could be associated with him. She walked around a corner and, just  
in the distance, there was a black cape moving away from her. She  
ran as fast as she could to the wearer. "My master!" she exclaimed.  
The creature turned around to show that it was far from being the  
old Emperor. "I'm so sorry," Mara stammered. "I thought you were  
someone else!"  
  
She continued along the side streets, her heart beating faster than  
ever. She began to sweat uncontrolably. Voices in her head began to  
scream as loud as they could, deafening her from within. "You will kill  
Leia Skywalker. You WILL kill Leia Skywalker." Mara fell to her knees  
in pain, clutching her head as hard as she could. "You will kill Leia  
Skywalker or you will incur my wrath!" She opened her eyes but could  
only see one face. Palpatine. He screamed at her. "You will die unless  
you take the Jedi woman instead!"  
  
The former Emperor's Hand passed out on the dirt filled street with  
only one thing on her mind as she collapsed. She had to obey the  
command she was given...  
  
*********  
  
Weapons and charges in metal crates were thrown into the cargo  
hold of the Imperial Shuttle that had been taken after Leia and  
Anakin escaped the secon Death Star. Anakin watched carefully  
to ensure nothing went wrong. Ambassador Keylar was at the other  
side of the room discussing tactics with Lando and Narril.  
  
Leia walked into the cockpit and sat down at the controls. Her  
head fell into her hands. "Why can't they see this is a mistake?"  
she groaned quietly to herself.  
"Perhaps they don't want to," was the reply. Leia turned around  
to see Luke's shimmering image behind her. "It is amazing how  
people can be blind to the truth even when it is in plain  
sight."  
Leia sighed. "I'm really worried about this mission, Luke. It  
seems like Mon Mothma is intent on having control of Coruscant,  
perhaps before it is time."  
"It's a sign of control. Whoever has the capital has the galaxy."  
"You make the Chancellor out to be a dictator."  
"People can be blind to the truth even when it is in plain sight,"  
Luke repeated. "As you go into battle I warn you to avoid any  
confrontation with Thrawn or Mara Jade, especially the latter.  
She is dangerous, my sister, the Dark Side is strong within her  
but she is confused."  
"I don't think I'll be able help encountering her."  
"She wants you dead and will stop at nothing to make sure she is  
not stopped. I love you, Leia. I don't want you to make the same  
mistake that I did."  
  
Leia nodded sadly as Luke disappeared. Anakin entered the cockpit,  
not noticing the spirit of his son. "My daughter, we are ready to  
leave. Prepare to release the docking clamps."  
"O-Of course," the young Jedi stuttered, slowly coming back to her  
senses. She began pressing buttons on the cosole and the engine  
began to whirr loudly. Her father took his place next to her as  
Lando and Narril sat in the seats behind them.  
"So, we're off?" Narril asked.  
"Yeah," Anakin replied. "But we should be wary. I sense a disturbance  
in the Force."  
"I don't feel anything," Leia said.  
"It is faint as yet but the time will come when all will feel it..."  
  
The shuttle took off from the docking pad on New Naboo and entered  
the upper atmosphere before disappearing in a flash.  
  
*********  
  
"The Republic will strike soon, my master," the old Sith Lord said  
in a quiet hiss. "We must prepare for any eventualities."  
Thrawn crossed his hands. "You have a point, Lord Maul. Increase  
the amount of security probes orbiting the planet."  
Maul looked annoyed at this suggestion. He closed his hands into  
fists to control himself. "We will require more than that. The only  
way to defeat the Jedi will be using the Dark Side of the Force."  
  
The Emperor shook his head. "Not yet. The time is not right."  
"You don't understand the power it can give you get. You have not  
made use of the gift that has been bestowed upon you."  
"Oh, but I intend to. I intend to. You may leave."  
  
The Sith Lord stormed out of the throneroom. This was the first time  
he had been able to use his powers since his defeat on Naboo and  
now this self-proclaimed ruler was telling him to remain inactive.  
It had been too long. Vader had prevented him from taking his old  
position back. The two Sith commandment had gone too far but now  
he was back.  
  
A solider came running up behind him. With expert precision, Maul  
turned around and grabbed him by the throat, forcing him up  
against a wall. "What is it?"  
"Em-Emperor Th-Thrawn... wants you.. *gak*... to go on a...  
m-mission..."  
Maul let go and the solider fell to the floor, grabbing his throat  
and trying to get the air back into his lungs. "You may continue,"  
the Sith ordered.  
"His majesty wants you to retrieve Mara Jade. His spies have located  
her and..."  
"Tell him it will be done," Maul growled and continued down the corridor.  
  
*********  
  
Just outside the Coruscant system the Republic shuttle exited hyperspace.  
Anakin took over the controls from the autopilot and turned to his  
daughter who sat next to him, looking more and more worried as they  
got closer to the planet. "Be calm, Leia. The Force will guide us."  
  
The communcations activated and the voice of an Imperial officer came  
on. "Coruscant Outpost 327 to unidentified shuttle, what is your  
cargo?"  
"We are carrying local governers for a meeting with the Emperor  
concerning their territories."  
"I don't seem to remember hearing about that."  
"You do remember," Anakin said, with a slight movement of the wrist.  
There was a short pause before the Imperial spoke again. "Actually,  
yes I do. You can go ahead. Have a nice day."  
  
The shuttle continued on its way. Anakin grinned at Leia. "One day  
you too will be able to do that. It's helped me out of a lot  
of scrapes in my time." Lando suddenly noticed something on one of  
the radars. "Uh, we have a problem! Look!" Leia scanned to to see  
twenty small vehicles coming towards them. "Imperial probe ships!  
They're headed this way. Something tells me that trick of yours  
won't work on them..."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED..... 


End file.
